Numerous months of reciprocal discussions and a concluding, extensive week-long negotiation meeting were required. Yet, the WNBA and the players’ association achieved their commonly stated aim of a “transformative” collective bargaining agreement, which permanently and favorably alters the league’s environment.
This CBA will offer advantages to WNBA athletes currently, in the future, and even from earlier periods. Present players are receiving substantial wage increases, a genuine share in revenue, and an enhanced work environment. For future participants, their remuneration will be determined by the framework of advancements made now. Furthermore, with what are termed “acknowledgment” payments, retired players — those who established the WNBA, which is entering its 30th season — will receive financial disbursements if they possess a minimum of five years of service.
The official CBA has not yet been publicly disclosed. However, with a document produced by the union and obtained by ESPN, we possess sufficient details regarding the CBA’s provisions to evaluate what appear to be “victories” for all parties involved.
The intense rhetoric from the negotiation table can now give way to labor “harmony” for a minimum of six years. (This is a seven-year pact with the potential for an opt-out after the 2031 season.) Below are the 10 most significant triumphs of the CBA, which should be beneficial not only for the players but also for the overall product. This, in turn, enhances fans’ enjoyment and the owners’ financial returns.
1. Significant Revenue Allocation
Throughout the talks, revenue sharing emerged as the primary obstacle in finalizing a deal. Why was it so crucial? Because it directly links player compensation to the league’s expansion. It serves as a quantifiable indicator that allows players to feel fully invested in and rewarded by not just their individual achievements but by the collective accomplishments of the league.
Obtaining 20% of gross revenue is less than the players’ initial demand, but it is a figure that both they and the owners can find agreeable. Players can build upon this in subsequent CBAs. Owners aim to ensure that franchises remain financially stable to safeguard their investment.
Although it took some time to arrive at this figure, agreement here was essential.
2. Equitable Compensation
We have illustrated how salary increments will rise for WNBA players across all levels of experience and influence. This updated salary structure not only places more funds into the players’ hands but also grants franchises greater flexibility in assembling their teams. Some will possess a larger so-called “middle tier” of players than others, depending on how they opt to complement their most elite athletes.
These wages also impart a necessary and merited level of distinction to the WNBA and its athletes. For 2026, salaries will vary from a floor of $270,000 to $1.4 million, with each team’s maximum at $7 million (compared to $1.5 million in 2025). This doesn’t equate to the astronomical figures currently observed in the four major men’s professional sports in the United States. However, consider the WNBA’s current standing relative to those leagues at a comparable age. That serves as a more appropriate measure of the advancements achieved in this CBA.
3. Formalized Private Air Travel
When the last CBA was ratified in 2020, most would have presumed that negotiating for charter flights would be a significant point of contention for the subsequent labor agreement. Instead, the league transitioned to charters in 2024, representing a substantial progression concerning players’ well-being, recuperation, and comfort. All these factors can influence the caliber of play. Moreover, charters largely alleviated the WNBA of embarrassing travel-related anecdotes that seemed to emerge several times each season and caused the league to appear unprofessional.
Due to the travel modification in 2024, charters became less of a bargaining instrument for this CBA. Nevertheless, it was still a crucial step to formally integrate it into the CBA.
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Nneka Ogwumike: WNBA athletes have approved a new CBA
WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike joins “First Take” to elucidate the new collective bargaining agreement.
4. Prioritizing Health and Well-being
This section encompasses numerous facets of the CBA. We’ve previously noted charters and how they mitigate the strain on athletes, who depend on recuperation and rest.
Teams’ medical personnel requirements are mandated to be more extensive, including two athletic trainers, two team physicians, a strength and conditioning coach, a physical therapist, a massage therapist, and access to a nutritionist. (Previously, they were only obliged to employ an athletic trainer and a team physician.) In instances of injuries, players will be permitted to seek a secondary opinion, if desired, at the team’s expense.
By 2027, players can be reimbursed for up to $2,250 per season in mental health expenditures. And by 2028, teams will be required to meet baseline criteria for practice facilities, which include private medical/treatment rooms.
Some franchises have historically provided more than others in these domains. This CBA will establish these as standard practices for all teams.
5. Family-Centric Pledges
The union and the WNBA have championed the requirements and entitlements of mothers within the professional environment, and this CBA advances further than any preceding one in safeguarding these aspects. A novel element is this: Teams must secure her consent prior to trading a pregnant player.
Following the 2022 season, the Las Vegas Aces and forward Dearica Hamby experienced a contentious separation when she was moved to the Los Angeles Sparks. Hamby asserted she was traded because she was expecting, while the Aces maintained she no longer aligned with their plans from a personnel perspective. Hamby initiated a lawsuit against the Aces and the WNBA, claiming an inadequate investigation of the club’s actions. A federal judge dismissed the suit against the league last May, and Hamby and the Aces mutually consented to drop her lawsuit against the franchise last December.
Nevertheless, the disagreement between Hamby and the Aces is not an occurrence the league or the union wishes to witness again. The new CBA endeavors to eliminate any potential ambiguity of a team executing a trade involving an expectant player by demanding player authorization.
Teams will also be granted greater flexibility with the salary cap in covering the mandated full remuneration for a pregnant player. This helps to protect both the player and the team.
Other family-focused components of the CBA include an increase in life insurance coverage for players to $700,000 from $100,000, a stipulation to allow dependent children aged 13 or younger to travel with teams, and two weeks of paid leave for non-birthing parents.
6. Guaranteed Squad Dimensions
Physical ailments are unavoidable. Recuperation is essential. Some athletes simply require a bit more duration to mature into their professional capabilities. The collective bargaining agreement (CBA) addresses these concerns with two significant components.
Previously, teams were permitted to maintain up to 12 players, but they could field fewer, particularly when managing their salary expenditure limits. Now, a complement of 12 will be mandatory. Furthermore, up to two developing players can be contracted per team without these counting towards their roster or payroll restrictions. These players are eligible to receive specific benefits and a stipend. They may also be activated for as many as 12 contests, receiving a pro-rated minimum wage for each appearance.
Even with the expansion to 15 franchises (and 18 by 2030), securing a spot on a team remains challenging. WNBA enthusiasts have frequently lamented the regrettable loss of promising young talent who could potentially have a future in the league but faced an extremely narrow avenue, at best, for development under team supervision. The inclusion of developmental players allows organizations to invest in future potential without incurring a cost in terms of a roster position.
7. Enhanced Recognition for Accomplishments
Athletes consistently strive to perform at their peak. Nevertheless, financial incentives serve as a potent driving force for any professional, and the CBA acknowledges this in two particularly prominent ways.
The first involves augmented performance bonuses for accolades and achievements – encompassing everything from being selected as the league MVP to earning a spot on the all-WNBA first and second teams, and receiving a championship share for the league title. Across the board, the monetary prizes for these accomplishments are doubling, tripling, or even more. The league has, at times in the past, garnered unfavorable publicity for awards that appeared meager or trophies that were excessively small. This new provision rectifies that issue.
Moreover, players on initial contracts now possess an avenue to capitalize on distinctions such as all-league honors by rapidly advancing towards the potential maximum salary bracket by their fourth season.
8. Greater Communication and Clarity on Officiating
Every athletic competition elicits complaints regarding officiating. During the postseason last year, the WNBA’s officiating drew intense scrutiny when Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve was ejected in Game 3 of the semifinals against the Phoenix Mercury. She subsequently lambasted the league’s officiating in her postgame press conference, resulting in a suspension for Game 4 and a $15,000 penalty. Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon and Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White both incurred $1,000 penalties for essentially concurring with some of Reeve’s assessments.
This CBA does not introduce any revolutionary alterations in officiating. However, it does stipulate that the union will be granted access to all informational, educational, and points-of-emphasis videos pertaining to officiating. Furthermore, it mandates three meetings per season between the league and the union specifically dedicated to reviewing flagrant fouls and technical infractions.
If nothing else, this initiative should instill in the players a stronger sense that their perspectives on officiating are being considered.
9. Core Designation Agreement
Every successful CBA demands certain concessions from both participating parties. This serves as an illustration of an issue where both sides reached a middle ground. The union might have preferred to completely eliminate the core designation – the equivalent of the franchise tag in other sports – because it can impede some players’ negotiation leverage and their opportunity to transition to other teams.
This CBA did not abolish the core designation. Nevertheless, it revised its parameters. Previously, players could be “cored” up to two times during their careers, irrespective of their years of tenure. Commencing in 2027, only players with six or fewer years of service will be eligible for core designation.
This provision safeguards teams’ capacity to retain their younger talent while simultaneously affording more seasoned players the liberty to avoid being confined to a scenario they might not desire.
10. Logical Scheduling Framework
The WNBA is not only growing in terms of teams but also in the number of games played. By 2027, the league could feature a 50-game regular season, and by 2029, it might extend to 52 games. This would mean competitive play continuing into November.
However, there is another aspect of scheduling that the union concentrated on, termed “cadence.” Players and coaches have, at times, voiced concerns about factors such as the volume of games they’ve participated in within a specific timeframe, or being compelled to undertake particularly lengthy road trips without any home games. Even with the immense convenience of charter flights, some scheduling requirements have appeared almost punitive.
The CBA will incorporate additional stipulations regarding scheduling in an effort to address such matters. While this might not resolve all cadence-related issues, it should establish greater safeguards within the scheduling process.